Do you want your news in a nutshell? If so, Elm City Express is the source for you. We are a service of the New Haven Register, but we will provide a slightly different daily dose of New Haven happenings, all wrapped up in the same place. We love to hear from the community and will post your news for you, often in your words!
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Santa Christy Says.......Help the Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven

Santa Christy Says……

Christy's 5th Annual Fundraiser for the

Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven

Thursday, December 1, 2011 5 - 9 PM

261 Orange St.

hors d'oeuvres, drink specials prize drawings & silent auction*

and special pre-Christmas appearance by Santa Christy himself

$15 donation (tax deductible)

If you can't attend, please send money. Contributions may be made at any time at Christy's

Sexual Assault Crisis Services will hold men's group

Women and Families Center, Sexual Assault Crisis Services will offer a men’s group Wednesday nights beginning in January at 100 Riverview Center Middletown.
Men that attend and participate in these groups will have the opportunity to talk about their experiences with peers and knowledgeable, caring facilitators to assist their healing.
The agency provides short term supportive counseling services to residents of Middlesex County, Meriden, Wallingford Cheshire, and Greater New Haven County.
For more information, call Rebecca at 203-235-9297, ext. 138. All services are free and confidential.

New Haven tree lighting is Thursday on Green

NEW HAVEN — Santa Claus will visit the Elm City Thursday to kick off the holiday season at the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the downtown Green.The Norway spruce towering 65 feet over the Green will be lit with 20,000 energy-efficient LED lights at 5:30 p.m. The tree was donated by Steve and Marie McDermott of North Branford and is being sponsored by Peoples United Bank.
The celebration features live music performances by students from Brennan-Rogers School, Mauro-Sheridan Magnet School, Celentano Museum Academy and the Educational Center for the Arts Vocal Ensemble. Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Gil Simmons of WTNH News 8 will act as co-hosts for the event.

Santa will visit with kids and take photos until 7:30 p.m. Children can participate in free activities, such as carousel rides, mini-car rides, holiday crafts, storytelling, and free mechanical animal rides as part of an "Alpine Safari."
The ceremony is put on by city’s Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism and Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees. Children’s activities are sponsored by Casey Family Services and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
DeStefano said in a statement the tree lighting celebration is a regional tradition and he urged people "stick around afterwards to enjoy the world-class shopping, arts and food here in New Haven."
In case of "extreme inclement weather," the event will be postponed until Friday. For information, call (203) 946-7172 or go to www.infonewhaven.com.Photo: Shows last year's tree

Free film on environmental links to cancer at Yale Peabody Museom of Natural History

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. (That means we did not write it) It is largely unedited here and posted as a community service.

NEW HAVEN - The Yale PeabodyMuseum will hold a screening of "Living Downstream," a documentary based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D, on Dec. 9.

The film follows her during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links. After a routine cancer screening, she receives some worrying results and is thrust into a period of medical uncertainty. Thus begin two journeys: her private struggles with cancer and her public quest to bring attention to the urgent human rights issue of cancer prevention.

Unfortunately,Sandra is not the only one on a journey—the chemicals against which she is fighting are also on the move. Several experts in the fields of toxicology and cancer research highlight their own findings on two pervasive chemicals: atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, and the industrial compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We follow these invisible toxins as they migrate to some of the most beautiful places in North America. We see how these chemicals enter our bodies and how, once inside, scientists believe they may be working to cause cancer. Living Downstream is a powerful reminder of the intimate connection between the health of our bodies and the health of our air, land and water.

Living Downstream is the third of four in a series of environmental films presented by Audubon Connecticut and made possible by support from the Quinnipiac River Fund in partnership with the Yale PeabodyMuseum, Wallingford Public Library and Quinnipiac River Watershed Association (QRWA). The series focuses on the health of waterways, harmful effects of toxins in the environment and environmental stewardship. The final Peabody screening, The Work of 1,000, will take place in April 2012, on a day and time to be determined.

Representatives from local environmental organizations will be at each of the film screenings to speak with the public about the Quinnipiac River watershed and the work they are doing to protect its valuable natural resources.

Gates Millennium Scholars Program information session to be held at SCSU

NEW HAVEN - The Gates Millennium Scholars Program will present an informational session with Southern Connecticut State University from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Michael Adanti Student Center Grand Ballroom, 501 Crescent St., according to a statement.

"The Gates Millennium Scholars program was established in 1999 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The $1.6 billion grant that the foundation gave to the United Negro College Fund for the GMS program is intended to educate ‘Leaders for America’s Future’ by providing eligible students with the means to complete undergraduate and post-graduate degrees," the statement said.

"The presentation is intended for students who are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American or Hispanic Americans," the statement said. Students in eleventh grade who have cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher and twelfth graders with GPAs of 3.3 or higher, and those who have earned GEDs are invited.

SCSU Interim President Stanley Battle; Ryan Davis, the GMS outreach manager, and SCSU admissions staff will speak at the event, the statement said.

New Haven police to hold gun buyback Dec. 3

NEW HAVEN - The New Haven Police Department will participate in a gun buyback from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 3, according to a statement.
The buyback is sponsored by the National Injury Free Coalition for Kids, the statement said.

"The gun buyback program is part of a larger movement for gun safety(and) injury prevention. The goal is to get guns off the street. The New Haven Police Department is committed in playing an active role in this goal," the statement said.

The event will be held at the New Haven Police Academy, 710 Sherman Parkway.

The department's policy of “no questions asked” will be in effect and that will permit "individuals to anonymously dispose of firearms without fear of charges for illegal possession when turning in the weapon," the statement said.
"Non-operational guns, antiques, BB guns and holsters will be accepted but do not qualify for a gift card."
"Gun dealers and/or people that the police have reason to believe are gun dealers are excluded from this program and can not exchange guns for a gift card. An additional gift card will be exchanged for those firearms identified as assault weapons and/or sawed-off shotguns as an enhanced incentive. Free distribution of gun locks will also be offered at the drop off location," the statement said.

Other rules:
"Amnesty for possession of a firearm without a permit is granted for those citizens turning in a firearm and/or ammunition at the time they walk into the gun buyback facilities and extends only for that period of time. Amnesty is not granted for the time period prior to walking into the gun buyback location or after one leaves the location. If a citizen decides not to turn in their firearm after entering the exchange location because the weapon does not qualify for a gift card, the firearm will be seized by the officers if the citizen does not possess a State permit to carry pistols and revolvers."

The statement further notes: (with emphasis in caps done by the Police Department) "In order to receive amnesty for illegal possession at the time you turn in the weapon, protocol MUST be precisely followed. The protocol includes:

1. Firearms MUST be delivered unloaded;

2. Firearms MUST be put in a clear plastic bag and put into another container (gym bag, backpack, etc);

3. If depositing ammunition in addition to a firearm, ammunition must be delivered in separate bag;

4. If transporting the firearm by car, the firearm must be transported in the trunk of the car;

5. After the firearm is screened by officers and determined to be a working firearm, a $50 gift card will be given;

6. An additional $50 gift card will be exchanged for those firearms identified as assault weapons and/or sad-off shotguns;

7. Non-operational guns, antiques firearms, BB guns and holsters will be accepted but do not qualify for a gift card;

Partners in this year’s event are:Yale New Haven Hospital, Walmart and the National Injury Free Coalition for Kids, the statement said.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is largely unedited here and posted as a public service

Boating class to be held in Branford

BRANFORD ─ The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-01, Branford, will run the course required to obtain a state Boating/Personal Watercraft Operator certificate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at its new base shared with VFW Post 12106 located at 99 Indian Neck Ave., according to a statement.

Pre-registatrion is required and no walk-ins are permitted, the statement said. There are no age restrictions for this class. The cost for the About Boating Safely course is $65 per person and includes coffee, soda, snacks and lunch for those who sign up, the statement said.
The cost also includes all materials needed to attend and complete the course. A proctored exam follows full completion of the course, the statment said.
Certificates for passing scores will be delivered after a test is complete.

Visit www.coastguardauxiliary.com, for the registration form: Click on Click to Enter > New Class! Click here to sign up > About Boating Safely Course (ABSC) and scroll down to see the application form link, click on “click here.”
Download the form, complete it in full and mail with check for $65, made payable to 1701 Inc. to: Branford Flotilla 17-01, Inc.
P.O. Box #916 Branford, 06405

For more information, call Mark Haines, Flotilla Commander and Public Education Officer, at 203-623-0505, or email him at boater1701@comcast.net, or leave a message with your name and return phone number at 203-488-5349, the statement said.
One of the staff members will return the call. Free parking is located at Indian Neck School adjacent to the VFW building off Melrose Avenue. Directions are also on the website.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.(That means the flotilla wrote it, not us. We did edit it a little, but not much. So if there are any typos, that's probably us) It's posted here as a public service.

Genealogy class in New Haven focuses on African-American and Native American roots

NEW HAVEN - William Fothergill, a faculty member at Central Connecticut State University and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, will offer Part 2 of the "Lessons in Genealogy" series at New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St., on Dec. 3.

"Fothergill will demonstrate how to locate a variety of documents, including marriage, probate, land grant and military records. He will focus on best approaches for those with African American and Native American ancestors."

The free 2 hour workshop starts at 10 a.m. and is presented in collaboration with the African American Historical Society. Space is limited and registration is required by calling 203-946-7430.

Participants are welcome to bring their own coffee.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. (That means someone at the library wrote it, not us) It is largely unedited here.

NEW HAVEN — State Archeologist Nicholas Bellantoni will speak about recent archaeological finds in New Haven when Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Projects, Inc. holds its annual meeting at 1 p.m. Dec. 4, 2011 at the Center Church parish House, 311 Temple St.
“...Bellantoni’s duties are many, but primarily include the preservation of archaeological sites in the state,” organizers said in a statement. He is an adjunct associate research professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut; a commissioner for the Commission on Culture and Tourism, and a member of the State Historic Preservation Council, the statement said.
Bellantoni also is president of the National Association of State Archeologists, the statement said. “His research background includes the analysis of skeletal remains from eastern North America. He has been excavating in Connecticut for over 30 years,” the statement said.
Historians Howard Eckels and Anthony Griego also are on the speaking programs, the statement said.
The three men “were instrumental in finding, researching and documenting recent graves found on the property of Yale-New Haven Hospital,” the statement said.

For more information, contact Bill MacMullen at wmachq@aol.com or 203-410-7162.
In the photo: State Archaeologist Nicholas Bellantoni and New Haven police detectives inspect the trench where skeletal remains were found Monday. (photo by William Kaempffer)
Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Greater New Haven opens its hearts to others on Thanksgiving

Here is a list of area Thanksgiving dinners open to the public

New Haven: A free Thanksgiving dinner sponsored by Church of God and Saints of Christ, 109 Beers St., will be served from 1 to 3 p.m. today . Shut-ins may call for delivery and takeout is available at the church. Call 203-776-3648 or 203-676-8880 for delivery.East Haven: For the fifth year in a row, the Rotary Club of East Haven will be serving residents a free, full-course Thanksgiving dinner at noon at the East Haven Senior Center. Turkey and all the traditional holiday “fixings,” including beverages and desserts, will be served. Open to the public.
Takeout is available to families that would prefer to dine at home. The Rotary will package dinners for takeout and arrangements may be made to pick them up or have them delivered. Families requesting these meals can call Parente at 203-469-0077.Wallingford: 30th annual Thanksgiving dinner, noon to 2 p.m., at the First Congregational Church, 23 S. Main St., sponsored by Parents & Kids Foundation and the church. Free and open to the public. Transportation will be provided to those needing rides. Meals and visits will also be delivered to the homebound. Food baskets are sent out ahead of time. Seymour: Trinity Episcopal Church annual free community Thanksgiving dinner, 1-4 p.m. at 91 Church St. Call church office to make reservations at 203-888-6596.West Haven:A.C.T.I.O.N. of West Haven 23rd annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner, noon to 1:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of the First Congregational Church, 464 Campbell Ave. Entrance is handicap accessible via a ramp. Food will be prepared by the staff of the Elm Diner and owner John Theodoridis, baked goods will be prepared by Peschell’s Pastry Shop, pies donated by the community. Menu includes turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans. The dinner is a family-style event served from a buffet line. For more information, call Bill Ewry at 203-932-9486.

Check out what the Whitney Players Theater Company is up to

HAMDEN — The Whitney Players Theater Company is presenting its third annual Holiday Cabaret at the Elks Club on School Street.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Dec. 17, and the menu includes pasta, meatballs, salad, eggplant, cookies and coffee. A cash bar will also be available.
Following dinner, performers from Whitney Players shows from the past 10 years will sing holiday tunes and songs. Seating is limited. Tickets are $25 for dinner and the show. This is a fundraiser for the Whitney Players and the Elks. To reserve seats, call 203-281-6007.
The company also will hold auditions for “Footloose” from 5:30 to 9: 30 p.m. Dec. 22 at Thornton Wilder Auditorium, in the Miller Library Complex, 2901 Dixwell Ave.
Bring sheet music to sing, and be prepared to dance. The show is for all ages. Rehearsals begin in January and the show opens March 8 and runs through March 11.
The show is co-sponsored by the Arts Commission and is being directed by Cindy Simell-Devoe and choreographed by Joan Christensen. For more information, call 203-281-6007.
Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

The event is free. Following the talk, she will sign both "August Gale" and her children's book, "Sammy in the Sky," which is illustrated by painter Jamie Wyeth. Books will be for sale at the talk.

In "August Gale," Walsh—who has interviewed killers, bad cops, and crooked politicians in the course of her career — takes readers on two heartrending odysseys: one into a deadly Newfoundland hurricane and the lives of schooner fishermen who relied on God and the wind to carry them home; the other, into a squall stirred by a man with many secrets: a grandfather who remained a mystery until long after his death.

Sixty-eight years after the hurricane that claimed several of her Marystown ancestors, Walsh searches for memories of the August gale and the grandfather who abandoned her dad as a young boy. Together, she and her father journey to Newfoundland to learn about the 1935 storm, and along the way her dad begins to talk about the man he cannot forgive. Contact the library for more information: (203) 946-8835.

Amity students raising money for trip to Europe

WOODBRIDGE — The Amity High School Theater Department will perform “Almost, Maine” by John Cariani at 8 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 at the Amity High School Auditorium.
Tickets are on sale at www.amitytheaterdepartment.com or by calling 203-392-2019.
All proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit the students attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2012.
The Amity cast includes Matthew Burkhart, Nina Yasick, Ted McNulty, Ali Kramer, Peter Charney, Rachel Skalka, April Rock, Alida Ballou, Kara Burgess, Bowen Kirwood, Heidi Schulte, Kate Poland, and Carson Adair. With crew members Sloane Churchill, Zachary Arons, Ellie Flaumenhaft and Andrew Gusciora. Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Holiday cabaret to be held in Hamden

HAMDEN — The Whitney Players Theater Company is presenting its third annual Holiday Cabaret at the Hamden Elks on School Street.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Dec. 17, and the menu includes pasta, meatballs, salad, eggplant, cookies and coffee. A cash bar will also be available.
Following dinner, performers from Whitney Players shows from the past 10 years will sing holiday tunes and songs from past shows. Seating is limited. Tickets are $25 for dinner and the show. This is a fund raiser for the Whitney Players and the Hamden Elks. To reserve seats or for more information, call 203-281-6007.Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Woodbridge store holding 'day of beauty' event for customers to try products at no charge

The Red Barn of Woodbridge is holding a free Shaklee Day of Beauty from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, Nov. 18.
Shaklee Educator Merav Canaan will be there "to answer recommend products and answer questions," organizers said in a release.
"Visitors will have a chance to try the beauty products for free."
The Red Barn of Woodbridge is located at 378 Amity Road.
For more information call Merav Canaan, 203-589-1973 or The Red Barn, 203-389-2910.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is largely unedited here.

By the light of the fire...learn about life 400 years ago

GUILFORD — The Henry Whitfield State Museum, 248 Old Whitfield St., will hold its annual Firelight Festival from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2.
Visitors will gather around the fires experiencing what life was like 400 years ago.
There will be refreshments and the house will be open to tour.
Visitors are encouraged to bring donations of nonperishable food for the Guilford Food Bank; coins for UNICEF or new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.
Regular admission fees apply and reservations are not required.
Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and college students, $5 for youth ages 6 to 17 and free to children 5 and younger.
The last tickets will be sold at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 203-453-2457 or visit www.cultureandtourism.org. Free parking is available.Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Connecticut Native American Inter-Tribal Urban Council to hold social

NEW HAVEN – All are invited to take part in a social Saturday of the Connecticut Native American Inter-Tribal Urban Council, which will announce scholarships and feature a talk by noted wampum historian Allen L. Hazard.

A pot luck, in keeping with Native American tradition, will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Engleman Hall on the Southern Connecticut State University campus. Those who attend are asked to bring a dish of their choice, as when Native Americans gathered the tradition was to bring an offering of whatever crop or food product they helped produce, said James E. Rawlings, a leader in the group.

The council, growing fast with members who have Native American roots, is currently looking for a location in which to open a cultural center.

Hazard, a member of the Narragansett Tribe, works to preserve the history of making wampum.

Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America.

Let's have a ball

All information in this post came from a press release. It is posted unedited here as a community service.

Neighborhood Music School's Centennial Ball on December 3 to benefit school financial aid programs

Neighborhood Music School will hold its Centennial Ball Saturday, December 3, from 6 -11:30 p.m. The benefit event, held at the New Haven Lawn Club, will include a cocktail reception, live musical entertainment, plus dinner and dancing.

The NMS Centennial Ball will raise funds to support financial aid and programs and celebrate the organization's 100-year history of creating opportunities for all community members. NMS Director of Development Alice-Anne Harwood noted, "What's most compelling about NMS is the extraordinary history of making a difference in people's lives, and the Ball is a chance to share some of these stories."

The Centennial Ball will feature elegant Italian cuisine in three settings, with music performed by the NMS String Quartet, the Gaslight Jazz Band playing classic jazz, and Conga Bop, a Latin jazz group. After dinner, there will be dancing in the Lawn Club Ballroom to a favorite local band, the Taxmen.

Attire is black tie or formal wear from your favorite decade of the past 100 years. To purchase tickets or receive more information, contact NMS at 203-624-5189 x15, or visit the NMS website at www.neighborhoodmusicschool.org.

Neighborhood Music School is one of the largest community music schools in the country. The school offers more than 400 weekly classes and over 200 events and performances each year. Its 3,000 students come from all over the Greater New Haven area and range in age from 6 months to over 80 years. The NMS financial aid/scholarship program awards more than $225,000 in tuition assistance to approximately 350 students each year, providing access to quality instruction for those who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Programs at NMS are made possible with support from the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and through the support of individual donors. First Niagara is the presenting sponsor of the NMS Centennial Celebration.